Crystal River Boats

[Texas Tillie]

Anyone have any current information on what might be happening with the former Crystal river boats. I've read about the Mozart being transferred to a company that has not previously been in the river cruise business. Is it still just "sitting" there? Same with the four "newish" boats, just sitting there?

[notamermaid]

41 minutes ago, Texas Tillie said:

Is it still just "sitting" there?

Yes, she is sitting in Linz and was supposed to have her new home port Hamburg painted onto the hull last week (according to an informant on Binnenschifferforum). I have had a quick look if I could find any news in German language but there seems to be nothing on the other river cruise ships. At least not in the general public news formats. The four ships are "resting" in a small winter harbour with shipyard at Dodewaard on the Waal in the Netherlands. Nice areal shot of several ships awaiting their return to sailing during the Coronavirus restrictions: https://www.gelderlander.nl/neder-betuwe/vloot-van-riviercruiseschepen-wacht-in-dodewaard-op-betere-tijden~a4f498a4e/180920683/

 

You can still spot the Crystal ships signalling on sites like marinetraffic.com.

 

Apparently, the ships had not been paid in full yet, so there is not only the money for the ships themselves to consider for a prospective buyer, but also the additional installments of the mortgage (is that term used for ships?) need to be factored in. The ships were part-financed by the KfW German bank, I reckon but am not sure that was because of the involvement of the German shipyard, i.e. building the ships.

 

notamermaid